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Post by aljwishhope on Jul 5, 2017 11:55:53 GMT -5
I think it will depend on what you are used to. I think the hard part for me will be that with a hearing schedule planned far in advance you can't leave to pick up your sick child on your hearing days. Kids get sick a lot. Everyone is sick a lot during the first several years. Even if your office is in a federal building with a daycare facility you will be limited to your breaks and lunch if you want to visit with your child. To be honest visiting during the day can be harder on both of you. You need childcare when you are working from home. This is not a job where you can work and take care of your child at the same time. Also, something to note is that you can use your accumulated leave, but if you are not a current federal employee with a leave balance to transfer that will mean most of the time you take off for maternity leave will be unpaid. There is no separate pool of leave that employees get for maternity purposes. You are allowed to use advanced annual and sick leave up to 2 years worth instead of using leave without pay. I got pregnant shortly after starting with ODAR and I borrowed 2 years of sick leave for maternity leave, which is a little over 5 weeks. It will obviously take 2 years to pay back, but you will have annual leave still accruing and credit hours to work with if you need to take off. wow that is a lot of leave! Do you have to get pregnant to elect that option! No plans to do so but that is excellent perk
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Post by aljwishhope on Jul 5, 2017 12:01:39 GMT -5
Has anyone been or worked with an ALJ who was pregnant or had an infant, and if so, how was this situation handled? I know so federal offices have daycare centers, but I don't know if that is true for SSA offices. if you get an ALJ gig check other federal agencies for daycare. I imagine HR would have some info if you are blessed enough to have that problem.
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Post by alphathreesix on Jul 5, 2017 13:03:53 GMT -5
This thread is incredibly pertinent to me.
I have one child who is turning 3, and my wife is pregnant with twins, so depending on the timing/success of my application, this could seriously impact my life.
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Post by brigid23 on Jul 5, 2017 13:12:50 GMT -5
This thread is incredibly pertinent to me. I have one child who is turning 3, and my wife is pregnant with twins, so depending on the timing/success of my application, this could seriously impact my life. I have four (almost five) year old twins. And a spouse whose job is firmly tied to our current locality. We had long discussions about the impact on our children and his career if we move.
Also, welcome to the twin club! It's a WILD ride!!
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Post by siri0303 on Jul 5, 2017 13:40:50 GMT -5
I am a single parent so that really makes a difference. There is not another parent to attend school events etc. Single parent here as well. I do share 50/50 custody with my ex, but our divorce decree provides that if either of us moves 100 miles away, we relinquish full physical custody to the other. Despite this, my GAL is large, as my ex has expressed a willingness to move to any city I get an offer for, assuming my ex can also find a job there. Still, I would almost prefer not to get certed at all, than to get certed for a city more than an easy car or plane ride away, because the idea of having to leave my child behind is killing me.
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Post by sophie22 on Jul 5, 2017 13:50:06 GMT -5
This thread is incredibly pertinent to me. I have one child who is turning 3, and my wife is pregnant with twins, so depending on the timing/success of my application, this could seriously impact my life. Congrats!!! Life is about to get crazy as you move from playing man-to-man to zone defense!!!
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Post by aljwishhope on Jul 5, 2017 13:50:43 GMT -5
I am a single parent so that really makes a difference. There is not another parent to attend school events etc. Single parent here as well. I do share 50/50 custody with my ex, but our divorce decree provides that if either of us moves 100 miles away, we relinquish full physical custody to the other. Despite this, my GAL is large, as my ex has expressed a willingness to move to any city I get an offer for, assuming my ex can also find a job there. Still, I would almost prefer not to get certed at all, than to get certed for a city more than an easy car or plane ride away, because the idea of having to leave my child behind is killing me. wow though on the positive it seems your divorce is very amicable. Good luck.
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Post by aljwishhope on Jul 5, 2017 13:59:53 GMT -5
It seems like the age of ALJs to be seem to getting younger and younger. A lot of folks expecting babes or with young ones. The phase of my career where everyone was trying to get a daycare slot must have been a decade ago. Most of my work cohorts (with a few exceptions)are on the track for planning for college if not planning for first job. I feel a little young as none of those cohorts are grandparents yet!!
Not a judgment. Just an observation. And wondering has this changed over time. Thought in past most ALJs were median age about 50 years upon hire (not based on actual data just my own wagging)
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Post by brigid23 on Jul 5, 2017 14:17:47 GMT -5
It seems like the age of ALJs to be seem to getting younger and younger. A lot of folks expecting babes or with young ones. The phase of my career where everyone was trying to get a daycare slot must have been a decade ago. Most of my work cohorts (with a few exceptions)are on the track for planning for college if not planning for first job. I feel a little young as none of those cohorts are grandparents yet!! Not a judgment. Just an observation. And wondering has this changed over time. Thought in past most ALJs were median age about 50 years upon hire (not based on actual data just my own wagging) Consider it is just as likely that the age of parents is getting older and older
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Post by alphathreesix on Jul 5, 2017 14:33:35 GMT -5
It seems like the age of ALJs to be seem to getting younger and younger. A lot of folks expecting babes or with young ones. The phase of my career where everyone was trying to get a daycare slot must have been a decade ago. Most of my work cohorts (with a few exceptions)are on the track for planning for college if not planning for first job. I feel a little young as none of those cohorts are grandparents yet!! Not a judgment. Just an observation. And wondering has this changed over time. Thought in past most ALJs were median age about 50 years upon hire (not based on actual data just my own wagging) Consider it is just as likely that the age of parents is getting older and older
I think it seems to be a little of column A, a little of column B. I am fairly certain was the youngest person at my test date in DC, and, looking at the poll on ages of 2016 hires, I am off the low end of the chart. I will likely be anomalously young if I am lucky enough to make it this go round.
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Post by JudgeKnot on Jul 5, 2017 14:40:06 GMT -5
This thread is incredibly pertinent to me. I have one child who is turning 3, and my wife is pregnant with twins, so depending on the timing/success of my application, this could seriously impact my life. I have four (almost five) year old twins. And a spouse whose job is firmly tied to our current locality. We had long discussions about the impact on our children and his career if we move.
Also, welcome to the twin club! It's a WILD ride!!
My daughter has twin girls who turned four recently. They have a six-year-old sister, and a seven-year-old brother. Twins are a wild ride, but it's a blast. I'm a younger grandpa, and I'm glad that I still have the energy to keep up with them . . . for a while. They can wear a soul out. Word to the wise: be prepared for all kinds of ridiculous questions, especially if they're identical. You can come up with some great responses that will shut people up. "Are they twins?" "No, they're cousins." Or, "No, this one is our neighbor's child. We have the same mailman." I had a co-worker who had twins - a boy and a girl. Someone asked him if they were identical. Uh, how would that work?
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Post by aljalex on Jul 5, 2017 15:16:51 GMT -5
Federal ALJ job = happy mommy. Happy mommy = happy kids. I have an 8 and a 3 year old girls. Must stay more or less local for other reasons, but I'm sure the kiddos would, in the long run, understand the school district change. Of course, I do not unterestimate the psychological impact of the potential move, but that's just life.
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Post by nylawyer on Jul 5, 2017 16:06:09 GMT -5
It seems like the age of ALJs to be seem to getting younger and younger. A lot of folks expecting babes or with young ones. The phase of my career where everyone was trying to get a daycare slot must have been a decade ago. Most of my work cohorts (with a few exceptions)are on the track for planning for college if not planning for first job. I feel a little young as none of those cohorts are grandparents yet!! Not a judgment. Just an observation. And wondering has this changed over time. Thought in past most ALJs were median age about 50 years upon hire (not based on actual data just my own wagging) I'm curious about this as well. When I originally tested at OPM back in 2006(ish) I remember looking around the room and thinking I was twenty years younger than everyone else there (there were two older applicants insisting on handwriting the exam because they didn't know how to type). I expected to still be one of the younger judges when I got hired a decade later- suffice to say, I was not.
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Post by siri0303 on Jul 5, 2017 16:41:49 GMT -5
Single parent here as well. I do share 50/50 custody with my ex, but our divorce decree provides that if either of us moves 100 miles away, we relinquish full physical custody to the other. Despite this, my GAL is large, as my ex has expressed a willingness to move to any city I get an offer for, assuming my ex can also find a job there. Still, I would almost prefer not to get certed at all, than to get certed for a city more than an easy car or plane ride away, because the idea of having to leave my child behind is killing me. wow though on the positive it seems your divorce is very amicable. Good luck. It really is, and I feel very grateful for that. Also thanks, and same to you!
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Post by tigerlily on Jul 5, 2017 18:42:49 GMT -5
I think it will depend on what you are used to. I think the hard part for me will be that with a hearing schedule planned far in advance you can't leave to pick up your sick child on your hearing days. Kids get sick a lot. Everyone is sick a lot during the first several years. Even if your office is in a federal building with a daycare facility you will be limited to your breaks and lunch if you want to visit with your child. To be honest visiting during the day can be harder on both of you. You need childcare when you are working from home. This is not a job where you can work and take care of your child at the same time. Also, something to note is that you can use your accumulated leave, but if you are not a current federal employee with a leave balance to transfer that will mean most of the time you take off for maternity leave will be unpaid. There is no separate pool of leave that employees get for maternity purposes. You are allowed to use advanced annual and sick leave up to 2 years worth instead of using leave without pay. I got pregnant shortly after starting with ODAR and I borrowed 2 years of sick leave for maternity leave, which is a little over 5 weeks. It will obviously take 2 years to pay back, but you will have annual leave still accruing and credit hours to work with if you need to take off. This happened to me, as well, when surprise number four showed up a few weeks after starting at ODAR as an AA. I took very little time off that first year in an attempt to stockpile leave for maternity, and then advanced about a year and a half of sick leave in order to get eight weeks of paid time off. There are also scenarios in which childbirth qualifies you to be put on the leave donation list (although it didn't work out for me). I am still in the hole with sick leave, but I have been able to take some time off here and there since going back, as well as build up some credit time, and I should be able to manage a summer trip in the near future and time off at Christmas, too. It's definitely doable.
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Post by aa7 on Jul 6, 2017 12:09:37 GMT -5
I think it will depend on what you are used to. I think the hard part for me will be that with a hearing schedule planned far in advance you can't leave to pick up your sick child on your hearing days. Kids get sick a lot. Everyone is sick a lot during the first several years. Even if your office is in a federal building with a daycare facility you will be limited to your breaks and lunch if you want to visit with your child. To be honest visiting during the day can be harder on both of you. You need childcare when you are working from home. This is not a job where you can work and take care of your child at the same time. Also, something to note is that you can use your accumulated leave, but if you are not a current federal employee with a leave balance to transfer that will mean most of the time you take off for maternity leave will be unpaid. There is no separate pool of leave that employees get for maternity purposes. i am glad I was not on the register when my children were younger. In the 4 years since I applied they have become teenagers. I am happy that during that time I had an extremely flexible schedule where I not only was available for sick days (although your fever better be at 110 or something better be bleeding or broken before this mom lets you stay home or comes pick you up) but I was available to volunteer at school attend all events etc be home when they got home etc. I would not trade that for ALJ.
yes and yes and yes. Thanks for the much needed perspective.
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Post by phoenixrisingALJ on Jul 6, 2017 13:21:53 GMT -5
I am a single parent of now 2 young adults. I remember agonizing over job choices and the big piece of advice I have is stop worrying. First - you don't have the job yet. Focus on the here and now with your children. Should you get the call - that is when you will have to make a decision. The big decision will be is that town a good place for your family. The details of day care will work out. There are working parents everywhere - and that means there are daycare options everywhere. I also think that how you approach a new job - especially one involving a move is how it flows to your children. If you are anxious and stressed - then they will be as well. So my second piece of advice for you - is have faith that your decision is the best one for your family - no matter what that decision is. Good luck to current and new parents! Raising children is awesome - although those teen years - ouch!
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Post by Pixie on Jul 6, 2017 16:45:18 GMT -5
I am a single parent of now 2 young adults. I remember agonizing over job choices and the big piece of advice I have is stop worrying. First - you don't have the job yet. Focus on the here and now with your children. Should you get the call - that is when you will have to make a decision. The big decision will be is that town a good place for your family. The details of day care will work out. There are working parents everywhere - and that means there are daycare options everywhere. I also think that how you approach a new job - especially one involving a move is how it flows to your children. If you are anxious and stressed - then they will be as well. So my second piece of advice for you - is have faith that your decision is the best one for your family - no matter what that decision is. Good luck to current and new parents! Raising children is awesome - although those teen years - ouch!Yes, Mother and Dad lose all common sense about the time a child turns 13. Fortunately, they regain it about the time the child is 19 or 20. It is a rough time for the children of that age; their parents just don't understand anything. Pixie
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Post by phoenixrisingALJ on Jul 6, 2017 16:58:17 GMT -5
OMG Pixie - do you have listening devices in my home - how do you know that I know next to nothing? My oldest is 22 and my youngest 20 - and it particularly cracks me up when they deny any knowledge that I might have about the law. A friend's husband was asking my advice the other night and my son actually said - why would you ask my mom for insight on ____ law - I just laughed cause I am used to it - but he turned around and said really - go google your mom's name and see what she does since you clearly don't understand... made me feel kind of good....lol. But you are correct they both are finally coming around to be civilized human beings that I enjoy spending time with and have very interesting conversations with on a variety of subjects. The trick to surviving the teen years is keeping a sense of humor.... that and having a crew to enjoy some fine wines with or other situational adult beverages
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Post by gary on Jul 6, 2017 17:13:15 GMT -5
I am a single parent of now 2 young adults. I remember agonizing over job choices and the big piece of advice I have is stop worrying. First - you don't have the job yet. Focus on the here and now with your children. Should you get the call - that is when you will have to make a decision. The big decision will be is that town a good place for your family. The details of day care will work out. There are working parents everywhere - and that means there are daycare options everywhere. I also think that how you approach a new job - especially one involving a move is how it flows to your children. If you are anxious and stressed - then they will be as well. So my second piece of advice for you - is have faith that your decision is the best one for your family - no matter what that decision is. Good luck to current and new parents! Raising children is awesome - although those teen years - ouch!Yes, Mother and Dad lose all common sense about the time a child turns 13. Fortunately, they regain it about the time the child is 19 or 20. It is a rough time for the children of that age; their parents just don't understand anything. Pixie "When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years." – Mark Twain
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